Safety devices



D. W. PRICE SAFETY DEVICES Nov. 6, 1962 Filed Dec. 29, 1960 INVENTOR.FVA/YE M Pe/ce ATTOAQ/VEXS.

United States Patent 3,062,541 SAFETY DEVICES Duane W. Price, 2601Midvale, West Los Angeles, Calif. Filed Dec. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 79,193 1Claim. (Cl. 27253.1)

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements insafety devices.

The safety device of this invention is especially designed for use inconnection with a hobby horse ride such as is disclosed in my copendingapplications, Serial No. 17,301, now Patent No. 2,994,281 and Serial No.73,035, now Patent No. 3,019,740. In each of such applications, thehobby horse travels longitudinally with respect to a surface and at theend of its run in opposite directions the hobby horse, as explained insuch pending applications, is caused to rotate to position itself forreturn movement longitudinally of the surface. Also, the hobby horse, asdescribed in the aforesaid pending applications, is adapted while movinglongitudinally, to rock so as to simulate trotting or galloping.

To guard against the possibility of injury to a child or adult standingin the path of movement of the horse or in a stooped position beneatheither the fore or hind portion of the horse during its movements, myinvention has for its object the provision of a simple and efiicient arrangement which will become effective immediately upon contact with thechild or other person to stop the movement of the horse both in itslongitudinal direction and its rocking movement.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hobby horse employing my invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary part sectional detail view of body portions ofthe horse to show the application of my invention to the hobby horse.

As disclosed in my aforesaid applications, the hobby horse includes anelongated platform 10, a pedestal 11, including a base 12 and supportinga horse 13 for rocking movement. By a traction wheel 14 driven by asuitable motor 15, both carried by the base 12, the base is caused tomove longitudinally with respect to an elongated slot 16 and when itreaches either end of the slot 16 it is caused to rotate to a positionfor return movement, all in the manner and by means disclosed in theaforesaid pending applications.

Each leg portion 16' of the horse comprises two sections 17 and 18. Thesections 17 and 18 are interfitted at the knee section 19 of the leg,the interfitting being such that the section 17 is permitted a slightuniversal movement relative to the section 18.

In the section 18 is embedded a connecting link 20 having an eyelet 21having hooked engagement with an eyelet 22 formed integral with a shank23. The eyelets 21 and 22 are confined in a hollow portion 24 of thesection 18. Embedded in the section 18 is a cylinder 25, one end portionof which projects into a hollow portion 27 of the section 18.

3,062,541 Patented Nov. 6, 1962 Fixedly mounted in the rear portion ofthe cylinder 25 by a press fit is a plug 28 through which the shank 23slidably projects. Movably positioned in the forward end portion of thecylinder 25 is a piston 29 through which the shank 23 projects. Mountedon the end portion 30 of the shank 23 exteriorly of the cylinder 25 is awasher 31 having bearing engagement with the piston 29 by means of a nut32 threaded upon the end portion 30 of the shank 23. Disposed betweenthe fixed plug 28 and the movable piston 29 is a coil spring 33 whichfunctions to resist movement of the piston 29 rearwardly of the cylinder25. The spring 33 is of sufiicient strength to hold the sections 17 and18 together and to prevent the section 17 from vibrating during themovements of the horse while permitting the section 17 to be universallymoved relative to the section 18 should such section 17 or the section19 thereof engage or touch an object.

The end portion 30 of the shank 23 engages the plunger 34 of a normallyclosed switch arranged in a switch box 35 which has terminals 36connected in the power circuit to the motor 15. The switch box 35 ismounted upon a bracket 37 adjustably connected by means of a slot andscrew connection 38, the slot being formed in a bar 39 connected to thecylinder 25 within the hollow portion or socket 27 by means of a strap40.

The arrangement is such that should the leg section 17 or hoof portion19 come into contact with an object such as a child or the like, it willbe caused to pivot relative to the section 18 and in so doing the shank23 will be moved longitudinally with respect to its long axis rearwardlywith respect to the cylinder 25. This movement will impart movement tothe piston 29 against the action of the spring 33. The piston 29 willmove a sufficient distance to disengage the end 30 of the shank 23 fromthe plunger 34 of the switch and therefore to allow the switch to open,deenergizing the circuit to the motor 15.

This movement of the section 17 is, as beforestated, universal so thatirrespective of the direction from which the contact is made withrespect to the section 17 or portion 19 the section 17 will be pivotedso as to result in the opening of the switch for the purpose ofdeenergizing the motor 15. Should a child or other object be beneath thehoof of the horse during its rocking movement, the same action of thesection 17 will take place and the motor 15 will be instantlydeenergized.

By the provision of a safety device such as I have described herein, asimple arrangement is provided for instantly stopping movement of thehobby horse when any one of its legs or hoofs comes into contact with anobject upon the platform 10. As soon as the contact between the objectand the leg is removed, the switch will instantly close and the hobbyhorse will then begin its continued movement relative to the platform16.

While I have shown and described my novel safety device associated witha hobby horse, it is obvious that the same may be associated with othermoving objects and that it may have other applications in the field ofthe amusement art.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise detailsof construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variationsand modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

A safety device for a hobby horse having legs each of 5 means.

which has universal movement, a connecting link embedded in one portionof said leg, a cylinder embedded in another portion of said leg, a plugmounted in one end of the cylinder, a shank movable through the plug,means providing connection between one end of the shank and 10 one endof said connecting link, a piston movable in the cylinder, spring meansbetween said plug and said piston to resist movement of the piston andsaid shank,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS491,927 Rygg Feb. 14, 1893 2,090,178 Brickner Aug. 17, 1937 2,592,742Rose Apr. 15, 1952 2,680,020 Dwyer June 1, 1954

